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<title>Learned From Experience, Taught As Warning by evilly_laughing</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29945823">Learned From Experience, Taught As Warning</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilly_laughing/pseuds/evilly_laughing'>evilly_laughing</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Amnesiac Jason Todd, Damian Wayne Feels, Damian Wayne Needs a Hug, Damian Wayne-centric, Gen, Hurt Damian Wayne, League of Assassins Jason Todd, Mentioned Alfred Pennyworth, Mentioned Bruce Wayne, Mentioned Dick Grayson, Mentioned Jonathan Samuel Kent, Non-Graphic Violence, Older Sibling Jason Todd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:08:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>489</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29945823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilly_laughing/pseuds/evilly_laughing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a boy in the shadows of Damian's memory.</p><p>And Damian should have paid him more mind with the future that has befallen Wayne Manor.</p><p>Because the boy had lessons he held dear.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alfred Pennyworth &amp; Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne &amp; Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson &amp; Damian Wayne, Jason Todd &amp; Damian Wayne, Jon Lane Kent &amp; Damian Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>207</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Learned From Experience, Taught As Warning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Every Fic Deserves A Song:<br/>Walk On the Ocean by Toad the Wet Sprocket</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keep what you need to survive packed. You must always be prepared to leave.</p><p> </p><p>It was a lesson taught to Damian by a boy he knew once, but now has little recollection.</p><p>There is no impression of his stance, his features, or any physical traits of note.</p><p>If Damian tries hard enough, he can scarcely recall the voice this boy once used.</p><p>That’s okay, because the boy himself could scarcely recall the words to use.</p><p>Most of the time, the boy’s presence is silent, yet still there, by Damian, in his memories.</p><p>It is surprising, weird, enough to have such a steady figure by his side during an uprising with the League.</p><p>It is even more shocking that Damian nearly forgets a boy, who had to have some sort of influence over him.</p><p>Based on the facts, evidence.</p><p>That he remembers the shape his mouth makes when saying, “akhi.”</p><p>There should be no reason, no explanation, for such a term to fall out of his mouth.</p><p>Nonetheless, this is what he has to reminisce.</p><p>A boy that was family once.</p><p>He barely ever is reminded of this, though.</p><p>The boy is not there, he has checked League records, and the boy’s lessons are overruled by those of Bats and Birds.</p><p>By Richard’s guided teaching and Jon’s whining messages.</p><p>By the shouts of Father and disappointment of a butler that held the most important-</p><p> </p><p>The boy had said, when he could pretend to be whole again and ignore the stutter or the moments of heavy quiet where it seemed he was a scratched record that was better replaced than to fix, “Keep what you need to survive packed. You must always be prepared to leave.”</p><p>It was the second rule that the boy held to heart, oftentimes repeating to Damian like he had forgotten about imparting the same wisdom last week.</p><p>His first was the only phrase let out more frequently.</p><p>Besides screams Damian was not supposed to hear, and begs for someone who did not come.</p><p>The boy was not saved.</p><p>It is easy to ignore the truths of a broken boy much more than it is to ignore the screams.</p><p>He can pretend to not know the boy at all because of all this uncertainty around him.</p><p>Damian can pretend.</p><p>He, unfortunately, let himself be blinded with this ignorance.</p><p>The instruction of a boy that was there for Damian.</p><p>The warning of a boy that no one was there for.</p><p>It all fell on ears that did not listen.</p><p>Only after everything, did this first statement come back to haunt Damian.</p><p> </p><p>Always look for a place that is safe but never accept that places are safe.</p><p> </p><p>The sickening crack which echoed Wayne Manor haunts him like the desperate pleads of a brother gone.</p><p>Why were these the times he listened?</p><p> </p><p>Damian should have known better.</p><p> </p><p>And he takes another step away from the estate.</p><p> </p><p>It is not safe.</p>
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